Panama mayor's aid tracking sparks clash with Venezuelan officials

Panama’s mayor, Mayer Mizrachi, attached Apple AirTag devices to humanitarian aid shipments sent to Venezuela after the June 24 double earthquake. The tracking system showed four tags in La Guaira, the main disaster zone, but one tag indicating a location in Maturín, Monagas, about 400 km away. Mizrachi presented the data to justify transparency for Panamanian donors and warned against speculation.

Venezuelan Vice President Diosdado Cabello sharply rejected the mayor’s accusations, calling the statements “vulgar and miserable” and saying, “Todo ladrón sueña que lo están robando.” Cabello also criticized Mizrachi’s criminal record. Venezuelan security agencies, including the Directorate of Military Counter‑Intelligence (DGCIM) and the National Police, investigated and confirmed that the aid arrived in La Guaira and was later taken by a disaster‑affected beneficiary who relocated to Maturín, ruling out any diversion or theft.

The controversy highlights political tension between Panama and Venezuela amid the ongoing relief effort, while both sides affirm that the humanitarian assistance continues to reach the affected population.